I started with the bottom now I'm here!!! Number Fourrrrr

I just got done eating dinner and went in for my post dinner brush which has become as routine as breathing (ok maybe not quite that routine) but the difference this time is that I started wearing the top aligner!!!  For the first three sets of aligners the top was a "passive aligner" which means it didn't do any moving of my top teeth which resulted in me not having to wear it.  I guess when Invisalign makes the aligners they automatically make the set whether you need both or not.  I don't know why but I always get nervous before I put a next set of aligners...maybe it's nervous excitement! haha

Wearing the top is certainly going to take some getting used to but I'm sure it will become second nature just like the bottom did.  For the most part I don't think it's that noticeable from a distance.  With the bottom I never had anyone ask what was in my mouth or anything.  That's not saying that people didn't notice...they just didn't mention it.  I think more people will notice with it being on the top now too because of the buttons/attachments on my canine teeth and it making my teeth look shiny.

I finally know the real name of what I have been calling the "built in buttons".  On two of my bottom teeth and now two of my upper teeth there are these built in things that push on my teeth.  They are called "power hinges".  What they do is fix teeth that are tilted inward.  The power hinge holds the top of the tooth in place while the shape of the aligner pushes the bottom portion of the tooth out into the correct position.  I have one of the power hinges on one of my front upper teeth which I think makes it more noticeable but I would rather have a power hinge than a cement button/attachment.  The arrows in the picture below are pointing to the power hinges.  

Well...here's to having sore teeth on the top and bottom for the next few days! :)

 

Tray 3 & Upper Attachment Nuisance Round 2!

I went today for my first appointment since starting Invisalign.  I was told that these kinds of appointments would be quick being that they are just to check that things are going/moving as planned and to get the next couple sets of aligners.  

I heard one of the girls tell another "We took the top attachments off remember?"  I just thought...."Ya you did because you messed up last time!"  The girl then told me that they were going to be doing the top attachments today.   I immediately thought "Here we go again." when she said that being that on my first visit to get started they put attachments on the top when I didn't need them yet (see previous posts for that mess).  So...I asked, "When will my upper teeth actually start moving?"  I was told that they would start moving with the new (#3) set of aligners.  I still didn't think that was right because I remember being told when I went in for my ClinCheck that the first THREE set of aligners would move the bottom only and I would only need to wear the bottom because the top aligners for the first 3 sets were "passive" and it said so in the bag they came in.  Thinking that I must be wrong (which I rarely am...hehe) I let he continue with putting the attachment cement/material on my teeth.  As the material was setting I heard the girl behind me looking at the aligner bags for what seemed like a long time.  She then got up and left...hummm?!?!?!  The doctor was in the room beside me (which they're all open with no actual doors) and I heard the girl talking to her and she said the word "passive".  Immediately I thought..."I KNEW IT!!!".  The girl came back and continued messing around with the aligner bags behind my head for about another 5 minutes.  She then did her thing with forming the attachments to the correct shape.  After she was done I asked, "Is this aligner another passive one?"  She told me again that it wasn't and that my teeth were going to start moving with this one.  She finished up and left and then another girl came in to give me the new set of aligners.  She opened the bag and held it out to me so that I could take out the aligners.  I put them in and then looked at the bag, which said....PASSIVE ALIGNER.  I asked this other girl about it and she didn't know the situation so she didn't know what was going on.  When it comes down to it...at least the top attachments are on so I won't have to go back in 2 weeks just for that BUT...come on!!!  Messing it up once is understandable...but TWICE?!?!  I do like my orthodontist but sometimes I wonder where people's heads are at...haha!

 

I was worried about the attachments on top being noticeable but they're not as bad as I thought.  I have 4 attachments on each side...one on each of my canine teeth, 2 on the next tooth on my right side, and 1 on the tooth after that on the right side, 1 on the tooth after my canine on the left, and 2 on the tooth after that on the left.  I had put one of the passive aligners in on top before just to see how it felt and was worried because it felt very bulky compared to having just the bottom.  Now that I have the attachments it obviously fits a lot tighter and is less bothersome.  Also, that is with it being an aligner that doesn't do anything.  One that actually moves my teeth will be even tighter than the passive one.  

 

I have started to notice small changes so far.  I still feel like my bight is constantly changing which makes sense being that my bottom teeth have been moving and my top haven't.  I'm sure once my top teeth start being moved with the next aligner things will start matching up again.  I've noticed that when I bite down that the bottom tooth that was my main concern/the one sticking out the most isn't touching the back of the top tooth that is over it.  That definitely tells me that it has started to be pushed back into place.